Endoscope

Abstract

An endoscope includes an insertion portion, a flexible member, a connecting member the proximal end side portion of which is fixed to the distal end side of the flexible member, an outer sheath, a first filling agent that is applied on the outer circumference side of the flexible member in such a manner as to come into contact with at least the distal end side of the outer sheath, an annular member that covers at least the outer circumference of the first filling agent, a protruding portion, and a second filling agent that is applied so as to continuously cover at least the outer circumference of the annular member and the outer circumference on the distal end side of the outer sheath.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An endoscope comprising:
 an elongated insertion portion that is inserted into a subject, the insertion portion comprising;
 a first cylindrical member that extends along an inserting direction of the insertion portion; 
 a connecting member having a proximal end side being fixed to a distal end side of the first cylindrical member; 
 a first covering member that covers, in a radial direction, an outer circumference of the first cylindrical member, at least a distal end side of the first covering member being positioned outside of an outer circumference of the connecting member in the radial direction, the first covering member being positioned on the proximal end side of the connecting member; 
 a first filling agent applied on an outer circumference side of the first cylindrical member in the radial direction such that the first filling agent contacts with at least the distal end side of the first covering member; 
 an annular member that covers, in the radial direction, at least an outer circumference of the first filling agent; 
 a protruding portion formed on a distal end side of the annular member, the protruding portion extending inward in the radial direction such that the protruding portion abuts an outer circumference of the connecting member, the protruding portion being positioned distally with respect to the distal end of the first covering member; and 
 a second filling agent applied to cover, in the radial direction, at least a portion of the outer circumference of the annular member and an outer circumference on the distal end side of the first covering member. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The endoscope according to  claim 1 , wherein
 an outer circumference on the distal end side of the first cylindrical member is fixed on an inner circumference on the proximal end side of the connecting member, and an inner circumference on the distal end side of the first covering member is fixed on the outer circumference on the proximal end side of the connecting member, and 
 a region to which the first filling agent is applied is formed between the distal end of the first covering member and the protruding portion. 
 
     
     
       3. The endoscope according to  claim 1 , wherein
 an inner circumference on the distal end side of the first cylindrical member is fixed on the outer circumference on the proximal end side of the connecting member, and a distal end of the first cylindrical member abuts the protruding portion of the annular member, and 
 a region to which the first filling agent is applied is formed between the distal end of the first covering member and the protruding portion. 
 
     
     
       4. The endoscope according to  claim 1 , wherein
 an inner circumference on the distal end side of the first cylindrical member is fixed on an outer circumference on the proximal end side of the connecting member, and a distal end of the first cylindrical member and the distal end of the first covering member abuts the protruding portion of the annular member, 
 the distal end side of the first covering member is formed to have a thickness in the radial direction smaller than other portions of the first covering member, and 
 a region to which the first filling agent is applied is formed between an outer circumference of a thin-walled portion on the distal end side of the first covering member and an inner circumference of the annular member. 
 
     
     
       5. The endoscope according to  claim 1 , wherein the annular member further covers the outer circumference on the distal end side of the first covering member. 
     
     
       6. The endoscope according to  claim 5 , wherein the annular member is a heat shrinkable tube. 
     
     
       7. The endoscope according to  claim 1 , wherein a proximal end side portion of the annular member is formed to have a thickness in the radial direction smaller than a diameter of the first covering member, or is formed to have an outer circumference diameter which is smaller than an outer circumference of a distal end side portion of the annular member. 
     
     
       8. The endoscope according to  claim 1 , wherein the first filling agent has a hardness lower than a hardness of the second filling agent. 
     
     
       9. The endoscope according to  claim 1 , wherein the first cylindrical member includes a flexible member and the first covering member is an outer sheath that covers an outer circumference of the flexible member in the radial direction. 
     
     
       10. The endoscope according to  claim 1 , wherein the annular member is formed in such a manner that a diameter of an outer circumference of a proximal end side portion in the inserting direction is smaller than a diameter of an outer circumference of a distal end side portion in the inserting direction. 
     
     
       11. The endoscope according to  claim 1 , wherein the insertion portion further comprising a second cylindrical member positioned distally to the first cylindrical member, an outer circumference of the second cylindrical member being covered with a second covering member, wherein
 the connecting member connects the first cylindrical member and the second cylindrical member along the inserting direction in such a manner that an outer circumference on a distal end side in the inserting direction is fixed on an inner circumference on a proximal end side of the second cylindrical member. 
 
     
     
       12. The endoscope according to  claim 11 , wherein the second filling agent is applied so as to cover, in the radial direction, an outer circumference on a proximal end side of the second covering member and the outer circumference of the annular member. 
     
     
       13. The endoscope according to  claim 1 , wherein the insertion portion is insertable into a channel that is provided in an insertion portion of an other endoscope. 
     
     
       14. An endoscope comprising:
 an elongated insertion portion that is to be inserted into a subject, the insertion portion comprising;
 a first cylindrical member that extends along an inserting direction of the insertion portion; 
 a connecting member having a proximal end side being fixed to a distal end side of the first cylindrical member, the connecting member including an outward flange formed on an outer circumference of the connecting member, a distal end of the first cylindrical member abutting the outward flange; 
 a first covering member that covers, in a radial direction, an outer circumference of the first cylindrical member; 
 a first filling agent applied on an outer circumference side of the first cylindrical member in the radial direction such that the first filling agent contacts with at least a distal end side of the first covering member; 
 an annular member that covers, in the radial direction, at least an outer circumference of the first filling agent; and 
 a second filling agent applied to cover, in the radial direction, at least a portion of the outer circumference of the annular member and an outer circumference on the distal end side of the first covering member. 
 
 
     
     
       15. The endoscope according to  claim 14 , wherein
 an inner circumference on the distal end side of the first cylindrical member is fixed on the outer circumference of the connecting member at a position proximal to the outward flange, and 
 a region to which the first filling agent is applied is formed between a distal end of the first covering member and the outward flange. 
 
     
     
       16. The endoscope according to  claim 14 , wherein
 at least the distal end side of the first covering member is positioned, in the radial direction, outside the outer circumference on the proximal end side of the connecting member, and a protruding portion is formed on a distal end side of the annular member, the protruding portion extending inward in the radial direction such that the protruding portion abuts an outer circumference of the connecting member, 
 an inner circumference on the distal end side of the first cylindrical member is fixed on the outer circumference of the connecting member at a position proximal to the outward flange, the protruding portion of the annular member abuts the outer circumference of the connecting member at a position distal to the flange, and an inner circumference on the distal end side of the first covering member is fixed to a part of an outer circumference of the outward flange, and 
 a region to which the first filling agent is applied is formed between the distal end of the first covering member and the protruding portion.